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Another New Chinese EV/Hybrid Concept

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Probably should have started a new thread for this, but anyway...

First off, you are very very lucky to get given a Model S! I wish I could have that kind of luck!

The question is a bit vague vinne97 described the core difference between an electric and a gasoline powered car, but from a users perspective there are many differences. Electric motors are massively more efficient than gasoline engines (90% efficiency vs around 20-30% efficiency) and they produce torque at zero RPM whereas a gasoline engine needs to be turning to produce torque and there is always a delay between hitting the accelerator and getting torque. What that means in the real world is electric motors can be shut off (but the car's systems like the instrument panel, air conditioning, etc are still running) when the car isn't moving and then they can accelerate from a dead stop like no other car. Electric motors are also quieter than gasoline engines.

Because the fuel for electric cars is everywhere, most people do most of their "refueling" at home, though Tesla has their long distance supercharger network of fast chargers all over the world to charge the car quickly on long trips. By charging at home, you always leave home with a full gas tank.

Because of the layout of the Model S, it has much more cargo space than other cars of similar size. I don't know if you have a new one or a hand-me-down, but the newer ones have autopilot which allows the car to drive itself on highways, it's the most sophisticated cruise control ever.

There are a few downsides, but one of the biggest isn't you concern. A new Model S can cost $100K or more, but you don't have to worry about that! Batteries do have lower energy density than gasoline. 1 gallon of gasoline has about 33 KWh of energy, where the batteries on a Model S have about 1 KWh per gallon of space, but an 85 KWh or 90 KWh Model S has 96 gallons of space dedicated to batteries, which gives you a little less than 300 miles of range on a full charge. Batteries also charge slower than filling a tank with gasoline. This makes no difference plugging in the car at home when you aren't going anywhere for a while, but on a road trip it means you need to allocate 30-40 minutes per stop at a supercharger. Most superchargers are located near businesses so you can get a meal or do some shopping while charging, or you can just recline the seat and take a nap. Most people who have taken long trips in the Model S report that with the quieter ride and the superchargers are free, it's actually better than driving a gasoline car, even though they have to plan for some half hour stops along the way.

I've driven a Model S twice for a few minutes each time and now I find my old gasoline car depressing to drive. When I started shopping for a new car last year I looked at a lot of gasoline cars first and none really impressed me more than my old 24 year old Buick. The gas mileage was only marginally better and/or they were sluggish. (I'm not a performance or luxury car buyer, but I want to be able to reasonably merge onto the freeway and I want something a little nicer than the basic entry level car.) The Model S is the only car I looked at that impressed me as better than my current car in every way.

Hope this answers most of your question.